Reel Critics: Compared to 'Jackass,' this is a triumph

Johnny Knoxville has been at the center of the lowbrow "Jackass" series of bad-boy comedy films and cable TV shows. His format gathers a collection of silly, stupid skits that are so seriously R-rated they defy description in a family newspaper. The movies are extremely low-budget but fully entertain the target audience of video-gaming teenage males.

Knoxville takes a huge leap forward with his latest effort. "Bad Grandpa" is an actual story with a real timeline that goes from a beginning to an end. Knoxville plays an 86-year-old man whose adult daughter has been sentenced to prison. He must drive her child, his 11-year-old grandson, across the country to the boy's father in North Carolina.

Needless to say, the long journey provides ample opportunity for the lascivious grandpa to behave badly in all sorts of situations. The antics at times are crazy funny, truly hysterical and way off the charts of normal behavior. But if you can handle the kind of adult humor found in "Bridesmaids" and "The Hangover," this may be the funniest film you'll see this year.

What a year this has been for black history in film. First, we had the eloquent "42" about Jackie Robinson, then "The Butler," chronicling the modern civil rights movement.

And now is the excellent "12 Years a Slave," based on the grueling true story of a black man, born free in New York, trafficked into slavery and working plantations in the Deep South.

Not since "Roots" has there been such a graphic depiction of slavery. But unlike in that TV drama, there is barely a drop of human kindness from brokers to overseers, owners and even their wives.

Chiwetel Ejiofor gives a crushing performance as the slave Solomon Northup, who must hide his education, background and pride to stay alive. "I don't want to survive, I want to live," he says, and his survival is quite remarkable.

"12 Years" was directed by Brit Steve McQueen with frank realism and power. It's a must-see.

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"The Counselor" opens on an intimate moment between Counselor (Michael Fassbender, again) and his lover (Penelope Cruz). It is beautifully shot, seductive, well-acted, yet a bit pointless. That is the entire movie in a nutshell.

It's disappointing a film with such a stellar pedigree — written by novelist Cormac McCarthy and directed by Ridley Scott — should fall so flat.

Counselor wants in on a huge deal with a drug cartel and partners with Reiner (fabulous Javier Bardem), who is hooked up with Malkina (Cameron Diaz), a cool beauty with two pet cheetahs, every bit the predator herself. Diaz is amazing and steals every scene. Brad Pitt also stars as a laconic Texas drug lord and philosopher.

Moving the drug shipment itself is gritty and ingenious, but everything else ambles like a dream. The exquisitely written monologues are better suited for the written page and carry little excitement onscreen. Beauty speaks softly in ominous parables. This is no country for good-looking men.

—Susanne Perez

JOHN DEPKO is a retired senior investigator for the Orange County public defender's office. He lives in Costa Mesa and works as a licensed private investigator. SUSANNE PEREZ lives in Costa Mesa and is an executive assistant for a company in Irvine.